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Video: Man on The Street – 5 Things You Know About Native Americans?

Vincent Schilling

11/28/13

Welcome to another installment of Indian Country Today Media Network’s new ‘Man on the Street” video series with correspondent Vincent Schilling.

In this video, Schilling asks holiday shoppers if they can list five things about Native Americans. Overall, these shoppers did well, although Native American stereotypes seemed to take center stage most of the time. As a pleasant surprise, the most impressive answers came from a 12 year old.

A good question to ask people is: What do you think is the difference between someone who is Native American and Indian? I would like to know what non-Native Americans and Native Americans think about this question.

A good question to ask people is: What do you think is the difference between someone who is Native American and Indian? I would like to know what non-Native Americans and Native Americans think about this question.

I understand having to have a card that shows us who we are. even when I tried to stand up for my son in a state an African American told me that I would have to prove to them that I was Lakota. his quote "you know you have to prove who you say you are". being Lakota I felt like asking him to prove to me he was African American even though he had the skin color. it is an offensive that I would have to prove myself. but yet I did it and they even check the reservation to make sure too.

Vince Schilling, it's great that you had to a chance to interview few people about Native Americans. When you interview 12 year old, he mentioned that they are learning more about Natives in School. That's great to hear. We'll in our school back here in Nova Scotia. Students learn speak it, write it ,read it, and study it among other course that are taught. Thank you for showing us your interview.

Maybe the best question to ask would be, "Do you know what types of Indians live where you were born?"
As was noted in the video everyone seems to know who the Indians of the Great Plains were, but what about the Indians that didn't get a lot of press? Since we once populated this entire country there should be at least ONE tribe that called your locale or region home. People should know this!